Philippians 4:19 NASB
And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
I love that fact. Yet that fact is not something that is to pump us up so we can feel better about ourselves and our situation. God gave us this truth so we might be best prepared and have the ability to serve others. Too many Christians live in a way where they couldn't bless others if we wanted to.
That is because we have no margin in our lives. God wants us to create margin. We have no margin when we overspend and are in debt. We have no margin when our calendars are packed and have no room for anything else. We have no margin when we don't take into account what God says is best for our lives.
We began a new series at The Community Fellowship yesterday called "Be Generous", and our people are being challenge to seek God now, to create margin so we can serve God and others and to be generous with the resources God has put in our lives. If that is our desire, here are two truths to hang on to:
1 Peter 3:10 NASB
For," THE ONE WHO DESIRES LIFE, TO LOVE AND SEE GOOD DAYS,MUST KEEP HIS TONGUE FROM EVIL AND HIS LIPS FROM SPEAKING DECEIT.
The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
God's call on us is to use what we have like He guides us to use it. That includes enjoying life. That includes helping other people. Read on:
Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.
Christians, we are to hear God's word to make some choices today that impact tomorrow. Chose to use our money wisely so we can bless more and more people tomorrow. Seek God today so that tomorrow we will see more and more of His blessings. Are we willing to do that? We are to be rich in doing good and use what we have, all our resources and not just our money, to build His kingdom.
One of my favorite things in the world that we have done at The Community is GIVE-BACK, and we are doing it again this Christmas season. 100 people from our church took a sum of money and committed to serve a neighbor, a co-worker or a friend. Our prayer is that lives will be changed and that God would bless this money as we sow it back into our community.
How is God calling you to be generous this Christmas?
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